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On the Resurrection of the Flesh

Tertullian

Chapter 8

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Chapter VIII.—Christianity, by Its Provision for the Flesh, Has Put on It the Greatest Honour. The Privileges of Our Religion in Closest Connection with Our Flesh. Which Also Bears a Large Share in the Duties and Sacrifices of Religion.

Now such remarks have I wished to advance in

‹ Chapter 7 Chapter 9 ›

defence

of

the

flesh

,

from

a

general

view

of

the

condition

of

our

human

nature

.

Let

us

now

consider

its

special

relation

to

Christianity

,

and

see

how

vast

a

privilege

before

God

has

been

conferred

on

this

poor

and

worthless

substance

.

It

would

suffice

to

say

,

indeed

,

that

there

is

not

a

soul

that

can

at

all

procure

salvation

,

except

it

believe

whilst

it

is

in

the

flesh

,

so

true

is

it

that

the

flesh

is

the

very

condition

on

which

salvation

hinges

.

And

since

the

soul

is

,

in

consequence

of

its

salvation

,

chosen

to

the

service

of

God

,

it

is

the

flesh

which

actually

renders

it

capable

of

such

service

.

The

flesh

,

indeed

,

is

washed

,

in

order

that

the

soul

may

be

cleansed

;

the

flesh

is

anointed

,

that

the

soul

may

be

consecrated

;

the

flesh

is

signed

(

with

the

cross

)

,

that

the

soul

too

may

be

fortified

;

the

flesh

is

shadowed

with

the

imposition

of

hands

,

that

the

soul

also

maybe

illuminated

by

the

Spirit

;

the

flesh

feeds

on

the

body

and

blood

of

Christ

,

that

the

soul

likewise

may

fatten

on

its

God

.

They

cannot

then

be

separated

in

their

recompense

,

when

they

are

united

in

their

service

.

Those

sacrifices

,

moreover

,

which

are

acceptable

to

God

—

I

mean

conflicts

of

the

soul

,

fastings

,

and

abstinences

,

and

the

humiliations

which

are

annexed

to

such

duty

—

it

is

the

flesh

which

performs

again

and

again

to

its

own

especial

suffering

.

Virginity

,

likewise

,

and

widowhood

,

and

the

modest

restraint

in

secret

on

the

marriage

-

bed

,

and

the

one

only

adoption

of

it

,

are

fragrant

offerings

to

God

paid

out

of

the

good

services

of

the

flesh

.

Come

,

tell

me

what

is

your

opinion

of

the

flesh

,

when

it

has

to

contend

for

the

name

of

Christ

,

dragged

out

to

public

view

,

and

exposed

to

the

hatred

of

all

men

;

when

it

pines

in

prisons

under

the

cruellest

privation

of

light

,

in

banishment

from

the

world

,

amidst

squalor

,

filth

,

and

noisome

food

,

without

freedom

even

in

sleep

,

for

it

is

bound

on

its

very

pallet

and

mangled

in

its

bed

of

straw

;

when

at

length

before

the

public

view

it

is

racked

by

every

kind

of

torture

that

can

be

devised

,

and

when

finally

it

is

spent

beneath

its

agonies

,

struggling

to

render

its

last

turn

for

Christ

by

dying

for

Him

—

upon

His

own

cross

many

times

,

not

to

say

by

still

more

atrocious

devices

of

torment

.

Most

blessed

,

truly

,

and

most

glorious

,

must

be

the

flesh

which

can

repay

its

Master

Christ

so

vast

a

debt

,

and

so

completely

,

that

the

only

obligation

remaining

due

to

Him

is

,

that

it

should

cease

by

death

to

owe

Him

more

—

all

the

more

bound

even

then

in

gratitude

,

because

(

for

ever

)

set

free

.

Notes

1
Instaurat.
2
Una notitia ejus = monogamia.